I'll find my own way down
by MaryAnGleanna
Summary: This is what happens when Eredin and his Red Riders capture a friend of Geralt and Yennefer and take her with them against her will. Mess, mayhem, smut and poor Eredin. I had to commit this. Welcome to my first Fanfic ever. M for graphic violence, sex and language.
1. Chapter 1

Feeling nothing but a sharp, burning pain in her chest, she started to gain her consciousness back. Icy, big raindrops slowly began to fall on her face, cold wind touched her skin like a dead man's hand. She inhaled sharply, feeling like she desperately needed some fresh air. Her head was pounding, her body was weak and felt like it was badly injured. She couldn't remember any event that could have possibly led her to her current state, so she began to think about the happenings of the previous hours. Nothing. Nothing came to her mind...nothing but a black hole. It felt like her memories were ripped out of her mind by force, her mind felt invaded and raped. She started to feel anxious, panic began to raise within her and it started to overcome her fatigue. That was an extraordinary feeling for her, something she'd rarely experienced.

Hadriana slowly opened her eyes and found herself sitting in a saddle, leaning on a rider's chest and feeling his heavy armor painfully digging in her back. They were riding slowly through a thick, almost pitch black forest, she could see it was nighttime. Her hands were tied, she could feel the cold metal of the cuffs on her wrists.

 _Damn it_ , she thought, _I have no idea, how and why by the seven gates of hell this could happen...Who is he? And where is he taking me?_

She carefully tried to take a look at her surroundings, slowly turning her head around. The man who carried her clearly wasn't alone. She was sure he noticed her movements, but he clearly ignored her. His companions were riding next to them with the same speed, avoiding trees and branches, shouting something to each other, but Hadriana couldn't understand what it was. It sounded like some short orders. There were three riders behind them and three in the front.

 _They look quite intimidating, I admit_ , she thought, _and almost inhuman. They are definitely no common soldiers._

She could hear their deep voices, quick movements and the rattling of their armors and weapons. They wore skeleton shaped, rusty, heavy plate armors, shredded deep red coats,some of them wore furs over their chest pieces, helmets adorned with bullhorns and they all had these dreadful, skeletal masks covering their faces. Together they looked like a demonic cavalcade of wraiths. They were all heavily armed, every single one wielded at least a sword, one of them even had a scythe...an attribute of death. Death, that was most likely to take her, if she didn't act soon... At the head of the procession rode a similarly clad horseman, but his armor looked more ancient and his helmet was adorned with a jagged crown.

 _This must be their leader_ , she thought.

On his left side she spotted a rider with an iron staff with a glowing stone attached to the top of it. He rode quite close to the leader and he seemed to be talking to him in a hushed tone.

 _This one seems to be some kind of a mage_ , she assumed.

On the other side rode a big, bulky horseman with a claymore hanging on his back and a round helmet covering his head. They seemed all quite tall, taller than all humans or elves she knew, though she couldn't be sure about that observation.

Hadriana could only see the leaders back, his broad shoulders and the back of his head. She felt like she has already seen those riders somewhere in her past, or at least she has heard of them before, but she could not remember any details.

 _What did I dig myself into this time_?

Hadriana Stannard was certainly not a coward, definitely not a scared, downtrodden country girl and not a damsel in distress, she knew that much. She was used to trouble, she was friends with Geralt of Rivia and Yennefer of Vengerberg after all. Along with them, she handled some nasty shit, including working with the Scoia'tael and plotting against some humble nobles. She even worked as a court mage of Toussaint for a couple of months, before Anarietta fired her for poisoning her court master instead of helping the man with diarrhea. Well, accidents are accidents. Hadriana was no healer after all. She knew how to handle bandits or diplomats, but being tied and dragged through a nasty, dark and wet forest by spooky horsemen, being unsure what happens next, wasn't the kind of trouble she knew how to work with. There was also something else. She HATED wet, cold forests.

All she could think of was escaping and harming her captors with some destructive spells if necessary, although she knew they were too many and too strong for her to fight...Obviously.

 _Well..._ Bloede pest, she thought. _Let's hope I will have some luck._

To her advantage, the rider carrying her still wasn't paying much attention to her, they were still riding through the muddy, wet forest and it was quite dark, so a potential escape was not impossible. Having made her decision, she counted to ten in her mind to calm her nerves and gain some power. If she could run far enough, she would hide among some trees, try to open a portal to a safe place and vanish before they could get her back. Easier said than done...

After calculating her chances, Hadriana waited for the horseman on their left to speed up and leave them slightly behind. Then she took her chance. With all her might she pushed herself off the demonic black horse and rolled on the wet, muddy and cold ground. Her tied hands were quite an obstacle, they made it much harder to stand up and run, but she somehow managed it. The horseman, who was responsible for her, tried to catch a hold of her at first but failed. She was faster and wore no heavy armor, so she managed to jump off the animal and run for her life. He dismounted his horse and started to run in her direction with his sword drawn. Hadriana tried to concentrate, and to cast a spell to open a portal to Kaer Morhen, where she knew her friends were, but nothing happened.

 _Bloody hellfire...These cuffs are just simple iron with a chain, not_ dimetrium _...seems like I am completely drained from any magical power I possessed...Either I have used it up somehow, maybe in a fight, or someone did it to me on purpose_...she thought.

Hadriana had no better idea than to turn around and run, but after a few meters she stumbled upon something lying on the ground and fell straight into a puddle, making her clothes wet and dirty, and managing to rip her shirt. The rider following her finally reached her, grasped her hair and yanked her up, painfully forcing her to stand up. The others stopped in their tracks and three of them, including their crowned commander, moved in their direction, realizing what she was about to do. By the moment the others approached them, the rider holding her spoke to her for the first time.

„That was such a stupid idea...I've expected more wisdom from a sorceress such as yourself. You are not able to flee or to fight us, you belong to us now, d'hoine" he said in the Elder Speech, with a strange accent she didn't recognize.

 _Elves_ , she thought. Hadriana had some elven blood flowing in her veins, her father was an Aen Seidhe, so she knew the Elder Speech quite well.

„I am not entirely human, but you behave like a bloede d'hoine, brutally mishandling and kidnapping a helpless woman... son of a whore!" she hissed, desperately trying to push him away and to break free from his iron grip.

„Stop fighting, bitch!" he shouted, slapping her across her face with his rusty, heavy gauntlet, causing the soft skin on her pale cheek to bleed.

She screamed in pain and started to hope that he was not about to slay her like a pathetic little rat in his anger.

„Helpless women don't blow up little groups of skilled soldiers with magic like you did a couple of hours ago. Now shut the fuck up and be a good girl or I swear, I will ignore my orders and slice your throat right now"- he added through his clenched teeth.

She could feel her anger build up, her eyes tear up, and a strange mix of fury and panic started to overcome her. She couldn't remember fighting or blowing anything up, what the bloody fuck was he talking about? She was capable of some strong fire spells, but she would never be able to burn so many soldiers without losing her entire mana and stamina. Was this the reason for her weak state now? Or maybe there was someone helping her...maybe even a mage?

„Enough of this, Nithral!"- shouted the leader, moving closer to where she stood.

He seemed to stare directly at her face, but she wasn't able to see his eyes because of his demonic mask. She started to breathe rapidly. Oh, how she hoped it was all just a bad dream, she wanted to wake up in her bed in her house and forget this dreadful nightmare and the elven riders.

„Yes, my king, I apologize"- said her tormentor and loosened his grip in her hair a little, giving her the opportunity to move her head slightly to take a better look at the commander and his subordinates.

He was just as tall as the others, but there was something about him that made him look more confident, even arrogant. He kept staring at her, causing her to feel uncomfortable under his stare, almost naked. Even without seeing his eyes she felt his intense gaze on herself.

 _So apparently this is their king, not just a commanding rider. They are clearly no Scoia'tael and judging from the way they act, it would be foolish to start a fight without a weapon, in such a weak state... What are they up to?_

Suddenly, the King moved even closer to her and spoke to her without taking his mask off, which made his voice sound deep and terrifying.

„ Well, well, well, look who's awake...it seems as though you wanted to leave us...too soon for my taste, my sweet. Where did you want to go in such a... bad shape?"- he mocked her.

The way he laughed after saying this made her shiver. Then he grasped her chin, not too forcefully, but firmly enough to force her to look into the empty eye sockets of his skeletal mask, and spoke again.

„From now on, you will be cared of by my second in command, Imlerith. Should you try anything foolish, you will be severely punished even before we reach our destination...and that would be a pity... having to hurt such a fine being. You have no chance to escape your destiny, you have no other option than to obey the Dearg Ruadhri*, to obey me".

After saying that, he approached his horse and ordered the huge elf with the round helmet, Imlerith, to take care of Hadriana. Her pride was deeply hurt, he treated her like a common prisoner and not like a sorceress she was. Imlerith grasped her upper arm, dragged her to his horse, picked her up and unceremoniously flipped her into the saddle.

„Where are we going?!" she screamed in terror.

Imlerith chose to ignore her question. Instead of answering, he said:

" Be glad King Eredin didn't order us to kill you after what you did to his soldiers earlier. He will decide later what to do with you...in Tir Na Lia.".

Soon the cavalcade left the thick woods and quickly gained speed, galloping through wide fields, only the wind chasing them.

*Red Riders


	2. Chapter 2

Hadriana was silent through the entire ride, not daring to speak, scream or kick, not wanting to provoke the bastards to use violence against her. She also desperately tried to gain at least some of her magic to make a new escape attempt before they reached their destination, but it proved to be quite a task. All the energy she could muster was needed to keep her awake. She was weakened and now she was becoming even more tired than she already was before. All she could do was to form a plan of her next actions, but anything she could think of had no sense. She found herself at the head of the procession now and was closely watched not only by Imlerith, but also by the King himself. Any hasty action could end deadly, there was no point in performing any rebellious stunt just yet. On the other hand, she also wanted to know their reason for taking her with them... They hadn't killed her yet, surely there was something they wanted from her. _"Gods forgive me, I detest all my sins,I know I was a pain in your arses, but even I don't deserve this. Just make them disappear, pretty please"._

It was already dawn, it was getting a tad lighter now. Thick clouds still covered the sky, but the rain stopped and Iana was thankful for that. She was quite cold and still a bit wet from her puddle encounter earlier, additional rain would make her feel even more uncomfortable than she already was. Wait...Iana? The sudden memory of her friends shortening her name like this caused her to think about the previous events. She remembered receiving a message from Yennefer, her former mistress, and beloved friend, on her megascope. Yen asked her for assistance in Kaer Morhen, she said it was urgent, but she didn't explain any details, she just asked Iana to come as fast as she could. Hadriana was not only anxious about the task, but also excited to finally break out from her boring routine as a village- curse breaker . She was an expert of curses and dark magic, especially destructive arts, so she assumed Yen needed her expertise to deal with something quite extraordinary. Maybe a nasty spell, a demon possessed person...

Unfortunately, Hadriana remembered only opening multiple portals and finally arriving at the Witcher's nest... She landed just in front of the stone well in the courtyard...what happened next, she didn't know, and that was quite frustrating. She started to think about Imlerith's words...they were going to Tir Na Lia...she was sure, she's heard that name before, but she couldn't grasp any concrete memory of the name. She decided not to force anything and to let her memories come back to her on their own.

Her deep thoughts were suddenly stopped, the cavalcade apparently reached its destination. The horses stopped rather abruptly, snorting, kicking and neighing, almost causing the sorceress to fall off the saddle and crash to the ground. She cast a glance at her surroundings and figured out, that they were standing in the near of a huge lake, she could barely see the other shore. It was cold now, the water was covered with a thick fog and the air was almost disgustingly moist.

The Dearg Ruadhri got off their horses, Imlerith firmly grasped her tied hands and was about to pull her off the horse like a sack of grain, but the King grabbed his shoulder and pushed him aside. Then he did something unexpected... He approached her, put his arms around her waist and took her off the horse without any effort, just as if she had no weight. He moved away immediately after she touched the ground and moved forward. Hadriana was too startled to make any move now or to say anything, even if she had thousands of curses in her mind.

„Caranthir! Make it quick!" he ordered the elven mage.

The mage turned around to face their demonic horses.

„Va voort!" he called, and with one swift movement, he shot a spell aimed at the animals. They began to choke, neigh and almost cry in agony, their skins glowed and after a couple of seconds, they became sand. Hadriana has never seen anything like this before. _Impressive elven trick...I must keep an eye on that one, he seems quite powerful._

After this little powerful display, Caranthir walked towards the shore and waved his staff just above the water surface. The lake immediately started to freeze and all of the riders gathered on the shore, preparing to cross the lake. Hadriana stood just beside Imlerith and Eredin and watched the spectacle. She realized, that she was somehow enjoying watching these bad boys... They scared the fuck out of her, yes, but there was something intriguing and fascinating in the way they acted or spoke, something that made her respect them. However, it didn't mean she wasn't going to try and escape by the next opportunity.

She didn't have to wait long for the occasion. Before they could even step on the thick icy surface, they have heard a wild, animalistic war cry coming just from behind them. More cries followed soon and Hadriana realized that they got attacked by a rather large group of drowners. She threw herself on the ground as soon as she saw the first stone flying in their direction, and rolled towards the nearest bush. The riders drew their weapons and launched at the attackers. Stones and mudballs were flying, apparently there were many more of them in the nearby bog. Heads and limbs were rolling, blood has been already almost everywhere, staining almost everyone and everything. There were more monsters than Red Riders, but their number was getting lower by every passing second. Eredin and his band were slaughtering drowners like they were ordinary pigs, ignoring the harmless stones flying in their direction.

Hadriana finally felt a rush of adrenaline and energy coming with it. _Could be enough for a spell or two_... She managed to get on her feet and started to run as fast as she could, hoping that her captors were busy enough not to notice her gone, but she suddenly heard someone heavily armed following her. She turned around quite abruptly and concentrated on casting a particularly nasty spell.

„Azaaar, anatha, veelos!" she screamed, stretching her bound hands out. Rather big fire bolt got the bastard and the one trying to help him catch Hadrina and get her back. In the second the riders sank to the ground, she saw no other than Caranthir and Eredin coming at her. Opening a portal with her hands bound was not an option, so she used her last bit of energy on casting a rather strong shockwave towards the elves. Caranthir however, was able to cast a counterspell. After that, he motioned his staff towards her and she could only feel her limbs getting soft. She crashed to the ground and the next thing she knew, was being carried by Eredin towards the other shore of the lake. _This was worth a try._..-she thought. There was no other option than to follow them now.

„Did you really think this will be that easy, my lady?" she heard him speaking."At least you seem to be quite talented... and fierce...but very, very impatient. I like insane women" his voice was barely more than a whisper now. Soon after saying that, Eredin passed the numb woman to Imlerith and motioned his last few soldiers to cross the frozen lake.

„You are lucky Eredin wants you alive and well... because I would love to make you pay for killing my comrades" he stated."It is hard not to crush your damn skull for being such a pain in the ass".

„You can bloody piss off, fuck face. Why does he want me? I will surely try to kill you one by one, if you continue to treat me like this, I swear it. I will slay the fuck out of your tribe if you won't let me go" Iana couldn't move, but she still could speak in her most diplomatic manner.

„Eredin will tell and SHOW you himself, believe me. He has his reasons. You will come with us...and you will grow to like it there, that is sure. No matter how long you fight, you will do everything he asks" he threatened.

By the time Imlerith told Hadriana off, they reached the opposite shore. Caranthir placed himself just in front of the gate, but before he opened the portal, he knocked Iana off with a spell. All she could see and feel was darkness, everything went still.

Hadriana woke with a start, feeling warm and cozy. She could feel a soft mattress underneath her tired and abused body, her clothes were no longer cold and wet, because she had a light and silky nightgown on. She was still very tired, she felt lightheaded and she could not think straight. It was pitch black in the room, she could see nothing. She closed her eyes again, the previous events felt like a bad dream. Hadriana felt like lying in her own soft and warm bed was just what she needed, so she quickly fell asleep again.


	3. Chapter 3

__Hadriana slowly rolled onto her side in her bed, not wanting to open her eyes, hoping she would fall asleep again. Sighing, she slid the thick but very soft blanket off her upper body, feeling much too warm to sleep completely covered. Still not satisfied with the temperature, she slowly uncovered her lower body and kicked the blanket off the bed. Suddenly, she felt something very warm and firm pressing against her back. A rough hand started to caress her upper thigh and moved further up to firmly grasp her hip and force her to roll on her back. Iana still kept her eyes closed as she felt the man kissing her neck and cleavage, only to open them as he placed himself between her legs. In the dark room, she was not able to see much of him, but what she could feel was enough for her. She loved feeling the weight of his body on top of hers, his broad shoulders, large hands, and muscular body. She started to touch his face, then to caress his back, just like she always did when they made love. His body was familiar to her, she loved his touch and everything else about him. She closed her eyes again and felt his soft lips capturing her own, just like many times before. His hands wandered up and down her body, stroked her thighs, her stomach, and her breasts under the short, silky nightgown she wore. He stopped kissing her just to strip her of her nightclothes and this was when she noticed that he was already naked.__

 _ _Slowly, he got rid of her knickers, lowered his head and licked up her inner thigh causing her to moan loudly. With one hand, he pinned both her wrists to the mattress just above her head and placed himself back between her legs. Starting to kiss her neck again, he entered her with one swift movement and started to move quite slowly, savoring every bit of her and making her feel like she was on fire. He filled her perfectly, it was just like their bodies were made for each other. His movements got faster and she could hear him breathing heavily, panting and whispering something she couldn't understand. The way he took her was not a rough, animalistic fuck, this was something one would call a passionate lovemaking. He gave her just what she needed and there was nobody, who could make her feel like he did. Her breathing got faster, but just before she could reach her climax, he grasped her chin with his free hand and turned her face to the side. Then he kissed her neck again, just under her ear and stopped moving for a moment.__

„ _ _Open your green eyes and tell me that you love me, whore..." he quietly whispered in her ear.__

„ _ _I... love... you... You know it, " she told him.__

 _ _At that very moment, she could feel it was true. She felt like she would do everything for this man.__

„ _ _Now make me believe it..." he kissed her neck again. „I know you're lying". He hissed, licked her neck and started to move again, setting her back on fire.__

„ _ _How... What can I do?" she breathed out, desperately wanting him to believe her words.__

„ _ _Stay... Promise me, you will stay. Here, with me, " he whispered, but she could barely hear him now. She could feel hot tears running down her cheeks."It hurts... Knowing that you want to leave." he added hoarsely.__

„ _ _Yes, " she choked out „I will stay".__

She awoke with a start, feeling hot and sweaty. Her face was wet from her tears and she was breathing heavily. __This cannot be__ , she thought while still sobbing, __the same dream, again... For fuck's sake... Literally.__

Still lying in her bed, she closed her eyes again and began contemplating. Iana remembered this dream very well. It was already the fourth time it appeared, though it came irregularly. She started dreaming it shortly after she left Toussaint to work and live in the North, in a village near some elven ruins, close to Oxenfurt. Must be 4 months ago or something around that. The dream was always the same. She made love to an unknown man, he always said the same thing to her and she always woke in the same moment. He was strangely familiar to her and it felt natural to be so close to him, but she was sure she didn't know this person. The vision was always blurred and unclear, but this time. it was so vivid and intense, like never before. Unfortunately, she still couldn't remember his face or the sound of his voice after waking up. All she had were some flashbacks of his body, she remembered a red, angry scar across his abdomen and a tattoo on his inner underarm... A feather, a rather big one, with brown streaks.

Now, in her awake state she felt like she missed his presence, she almost wanted to fall back asleep, just to dream of him again. She would try to ask him who he was if it was even possible to talk to people in your dreams.

The sorceress was no complete idiot, so she knew that it was definitely not normal to dream the same scene every couple of nights. She also knew that it shouldn't be ignored. __This has to be some kind of a curse, many people hold grudges against me, after all... But why this dream? It is nothing dangerous, it's just... Unnerving. What is this shit and what does it mean?__

She opened her eyes and sat in her bed, just to realize she was NOT in her home. It was already dawn and it was lighter in the room now, so she could actually see her surroundings. It was a tastefully furnished bedroom with a fireplace, a huge window with a beautifully carved frame and a nice, soft bed she was still sitting in.

Iana got off the bed and approached the window to see where she was when the reality hit her like a ton of bricks. The Riders... Her capture... Passing out... She remembered now. Is this where they took her? Outside the window, she could see a soft outline of a city she has never seen before, still covered in a morning fog. She immediately thought of her captors' words... This must be Tir Na Lia.


	4. Chapter 4

Hadriana has expected everything... Being used as a slave, a hostage, even rotting in a wet cell somewhere in the catacombs, where nobody would hear her screaming or rather loudly cursing her fate. The worst case scenarios suddenly became very real to her. She would never have expected a tastefully arranged room... Or, for example, her clothes neatly folded and cleaned, lying on the little bedside table. This is not how you treat a prisoner, is it? Especially not one who was accused of killing decent soldiers. At least not usually and not where she lived.

It was clearly time to get dressed, she needed to pull herself together and find out, what the fuck was going on. She felt a little nauseous, still worn out and weak, but she moved to the table to get her clothing. Getting dressed was a simple activity, she would never have thought it would require so much energy like it did now. Just as she began to put her tunic on, she noticed two very slender, delicate, almost weightless dimetrium cuffs around her wrists, very close to her skin, so that she would not be able to get them off. At least not in the easiest way. She WAS a prisoner after all. Hearing movements and a rustling just outside the door only confirmed her suspicions. Guards? Most likely. No... __Obviously.__ More Red Riders... __Let them come at me.__ Although the cuffs strongly affected her shape and made her weak, she was still very motivated to find a way out of her current situation.

She took a look in the mirror standing beside the bed and almost gasped in terror. Her green eyes were hollow and empty, she had dark circles under them, her hair was tangled and dirty, skin looked pale and sick and her lean body showed signs of a desperate fight. She looked like a freaking mess, so she decided to think about her next actions while getting her hair and face somehow sorted out. At that very moment, she heard the door opening and a person stepping inside. She turned and saw an elvish looking older woman closing the door behind her. She was just as pale as Hadriana, had white hair and was quite tall.

„Before you scream or throw anything at me, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Fiona aep Anisse, servant and chamberlain of the viceroy. I was told to check on you... Now that you are awake, I see that some food and a bath are in order. I will take care of this," she stated boldly, clearly not caring about what Hadriana had to say in that matter. The Mage wanted to tell her to sod off and leave her alone to think, but she thought better of it. __The woman could prove to be useful in providing some information. So, let's play along. They have not hurt you yet.__

„Thank you, I am Hadriana Stannard... It is nice to meet you," Iana decided to play civil, assuming that Fiona was not expecting a polite small talk in her own language. The elf looked utterly shocked. „ Let me guess... You weren't expecting a civil conversation with a human? I am no d'hoine, relax and do as you were told... We don't want you to get into trouble just now, do we," she told her slowly, in elder speech, chuckling slightly, suddenly being aware of the elf's facade. Who knows what the soldiers told her about the mage.

Hiding fear and respect under a thick mask of confidence and boldness was something Hadriana knew well. __Let's break the mask then__.

„I...I will be right back... I'll fetch everything..." The elf stuttered and left the room, only to come back a couple of minutes later with some strange looking food and wine.

While the mage started to convince herself to trust the elf and eat, the servant prepared a hot bath for her. Hadriana was starving but didn't manage to eat much... The strange thick soup, vegetables and wine tasted amazing, but the constant slight dizziness and weakness made it hard for her to keep her food. It will get better soon, she knew it... This was not the first time she had dimetrium cuffs on her wrists, they always meant trouble. She was glad they were not bound and allowed her to move her hands and arms. After she undressed and entered the bathtub, the elf started to wash and comb her thick, chestnut-colored waves. Iana was thankful for that, her hair was a nightmare even without tons of mud in it.

„If I promise to behave, will you take my beautiful bracelets off?" The mage decided it was worth a try.

„No... I was told to help you, and I will fulfill my duty. But I will do nothing beyond that, I have my clear orders directly from His Highness and his viceroy" Fiona appeared to be Eredin's loyal servant.

„Where am I? And what does your King want from me?" She asked the working elf, while she was cleaning her body and face from mud and blood. It took a moment for the woman to answer.

„We are done here, stand up, here are the towels... You need some adequate clothing, I took the liberty to bring you some robes you can choose from..." the elf tried to avoid the questioning by distracting Hadriana from the subject.

The mage decided to show some manners and gratitude and to try again later. She chose a red, long tunic with some gold embroidery on the collar and sleeves, black trousers, and a black, cape-like robe, made from a thick material. It should be warmer than her own clothing... It was really chilly in the room and probably even colder outside... Was it winter already? And where was Tir Na Lia anyway? She was sure she has heard or read the name somewhere before, it sounded like an elven name. She was digging in her mind for some more information while braiding her hair but found none.

„You clearly avoid answering me... I am not used to this and I find myself hating it..." she turned to face the elf. "I. Warn. You... Where am I? As a hostage, I should know where I stand, don't you think?" And what..." Iana started to get impatient.

„I believe I can answer at least some of your questions, my Lady. But only if you answer mine and stop threatening my staff," she heard a deep voice coming from the now open door.

She immediately turned around and saw an extraordinarily tall male elf coming inside. He wore a beautifully stitched white and cream tunic with a high collar. He was an older man, his hair was already gray, but his blue eyes were bright, deep and full of vitality. He wore a studied half smile, it never reached his eyes. Hadriana bore her emerald green eyes into his blue and decided to smile back, her smile looking just as dishonest as his. It was blue against green, a smile against a smile, desperation against sheer curiosity and respect on both sides.

„You are no hostage" he added."At least not exactly. We also wish the bracelets were not necessary, just as the guards" he moved further in her direction. The way he scanned her with his eyes was unnerving. Just as if he wanted to see her soul.

„This is Tir Na Lia, we have the year 1765, the world and land of Aen Elle. My name is Ge'els, I am King Eredin's viceroy here, in the capital and you are in the Moon Palace as my guest, just as long as His Majesty is away. Before you ask, yes, our Red Riders brought you here from your world, Aen Seidhe..." he stated. „I must admit, I was a little surprised as I heard about Eredin's unexpected special guest, but I got curious about you... You almost seriously maimed him, yet he still insisted on taking you with him instead of simply chopping your pretty head off" he chuckled.

„I will seriously maim you if you don't get to the point, knife ear. Either you are mental because you talk about shit, that never happened, or I am mental because I don't remember that shit... I am tired of this, dear viceroy... Very tired, so kindly stop speaking in riddles and tell me why I am here," she quietly said, still smiling, causing his features to freeze.

She held her head up high, but at her core, she was shell shocked and close to tears. Aen Elle... The Elves of Aen Elle, the Alder Folk? Aen Seidhe's cousins, almost forgotten, living in a different world. She vaguely knew the stories about them, Aen Seidhe knew so little about them. What were they doing in Aen Seidhe and how did they get there? Portals? Alright, apparently this is getting really serious.

„Sit down dear lady, drink some more wine. I have a feeling, that it will be an interesting and long conversation," he offered, clearly ignoring her harsh undertone and a very unfortunate choice of words. A true diplomat, or so he seems. She did as he asked, suddenly feeling, that it was the best idea to hear the man out and ask concrete questions. She couldn't do much else in her state anyway.

„First of all, I need to know something about you... What is your name?" he politely asked.

„Hadriana Stannard..." she quietly replied.

„You seem to be... Aen Seidhe? A D'hoine mage? Or maybe a halfling? A simple human doesn't know the elder speech as well as you do" he wondered.

„A halfling... My father was Aen Seidhe, he was also a sorcerer, just like me. Is there anything else you really need to know or can we get straight to business? I don't see why you need to know me" she liked to get the facts straight and focus on the most important matters. "I don't think we will become friends or allies, yet you appear to need something from me, so out with it" she added.

„I see that you are not in the mood for polite introductions or small talk... Very well then. You are here because King and commander Eredin Breacc Glas wishes you to be... Do not fear too much, if he wished you dead, you would already be dead , this doesn't give you the right to do as you please here, his patience can grow thin. As for his reasons to keep you here... I recommend asking him about it... He will speak to you soon anyway when he returns to the capital. Until then, you should try to get comfortable here...I have a feeling that your stay in Tir Na Lia will be a long one. Should you need anything, let me know." he offered. He then stood up, bowed and turned to leave. As he reached the door, he turned towards her again.

„One more thing, Lady Hadriana... The Tir Na Lia traditional court clothing suits you perfectly" with that, he left.

 _ _Bastard...__ At least he was apparently not a thick-headed brute like that fucker Imlerith ... This folk was apparently quite special in every aspect. Suddenly she felt the urge to empty that wine bottle that was still placed on the table. __Eredin Breacc__ _ _Fucking Glas...__


	5. Chapter 5

_He had her pinned under him again, it was already the third time this night. He firmly held her wrists above her head with only one strong, callused hand, using the other to caress her thighs, just the way he knew she liked it. He licked along her jawline, kissed her neck and listened to her moans, enjoying the fact that he was the cause of this delightful sound. He was buried deep inside her again, like many times before and it didn't take long for them both to reach their release. He eventually stopped moving, very reluctantly, but remained inside her, wanting to feel her just a little longer._

„ _Me Elaine... how I love the feeling of..." he stated hoarsely, but she abruptly stiffened under his body._

„ _Stop this, " she breathed, cutting him off. She never wanted to hear those things and it pained him. He felt hurt and angry again, he closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. The moment he opened them again, she was no longer with him in his bed. He immediately sat up, frantically searching for her with his gaze, but she wasn't in his chambers anymore. He pulled a sheet around his waist and walked out of his bedroom, desperately hoping to find her, feeling like this was one of those cryptic visions again. The images and dreams he had for months now. Then, suddenly, he heard a distant, quiet chanting of a deep, soft female voice, seemingly coming out of nowhere..._

 _She never wanted to hear those things and it pained him. He felt hurt and angry again, he closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. The moment he opened them again, she was no longer with him in his bed. He immediately sat up, frantically searching for her with his gaze, but she wasn't in his chambers anymore. He pulled a sheet around his waist and walked out of his bedroom, desperately hoping to find her, feeling like this was one of those cryptic visions again. The images and dreams he had for months now. Then, suddenly, he heard a distant, quiet chanting of a deep, soft female voice, seemingly coming out of nowhere..._

 _The sun lit the Blue Mountain's snow covered peaks,_

 _Then I see you, amongst your strongest warriors, suffering..._

„ _She is the One, the Unwanted but Needed, decidedly so,_

 _Because she makes your soldiers cry,_

 _It is a fact, SHE is exactly that!_

 _A Harbinger of Death and Love, from the world of the Seidhe,_

 _And She'll give you love, strength, and her ale,_

 _And her magic will bring dismay"._

Eredin woke with a start and sat up in his bed, feeling cold drops of sweat running down his bare, toned back. He loathed the discomfort he felt after having a dream of this kind, but hearing these cryptic, mystic words again made him shiver. He has heard them multiple times and was able to recite them by now. The King felt a mix of insecurity, arousal, disappointment and curiosity, and it made him furious. These feelings were rare for him and he was not used to experiencing so many of them at the same time. Seeing the same woman in his nightly visions was strange, but feeling her, feeling pulled to her was even more unnerving. Not being able to make out the look of her face only added to his discomfort. When he first had a vision like this, he didn't give a flying fuck about it and gave his very best to ignore every other image or sound of her he received at night. He was successful at first, but only until he heard those words for the first time. This time, however, Eredin knew the meaning of the vision he had just experienced. He knew it not only because he did some research on that very inconvenient matter, but also because he was now sure he actually met the cause for his unusual dreams in battle. In the Old Sea Keep. But what if he was wrong? What if capturing the bloody mage was entirely pointless? What will he do with her then?

No, there was no way he was wrong, it must be HER, he could FEEL it, for fuck's sake!

Eredin Breacc Glas inhaled sharply and closed his eyes. His body still ached from the rather painful first one-to-one encounter with the lady. He would never openly admit it, but he was impressed with her battle skills. He could have finished her off much sooner back then, in Caer a'Muirehen, but he'd found himself enjoying fighting her way too much. With his eyes still closed, he ran a hand through his long, black hair and took another deep breath.

 _And you'll find the loss,_

 _And you'll fear what you found..._

 _When the great storm comes,_

 _Tearing down..._

„Bloede arse" he groaned. He left his bed and started to dress.

It was still the middle of the night, but he couldn't wait any longer, he definitely needed to see someone, even if he would have to drag them to the royal palace all by himself.


	6. Chapter 6

Pounding. Terrible, pounding headache was everything Ge'els could think of at the very moment when he got Eredin's message in the middle of the night, brought to him by one of his trusted Aen Elle soldiers. It was not the first and surely not the last time his king and a dear childhood friend has called him to his headquarters at this ungodly hour, expecting his full preparedness. Actually, the Viceroy couldn't fight the feeling that it was getting worse. Why does he always have to call him so incredibly long after sunset? Does Sparrowhawk even sleep at night?

Ge'els got escorted by two guards in the middle of a cold, rainy night, he barely had time to dress properly. His thin linen tunic with golden embroidery was expensive and surely quite fashionable these days, but did nothing to keep the cold air away. The weather in the Capital was getting cooler and this fact was one of those disconcerting facts that added to his discomfort. He cursed himself for not letting his cruel bastard of a king wait due to dressing properly. If he was about to catch a cold, he would demand a well deserved break from his duties!

The Sparrowhawk wrote him a short message telling him that this particular matter was to be discussed urgently and he would not tolerate a refusal or delay. Eredin Breacc Glas was a bastard not known for his extraordinary patience, especially not in state matters. However, almost everything they spoke of, was in fact a state matter.  
Now, sitting quietly by the fire in Sparrowhawks surprisingly cozy living chamber, lit by numerous candles, the Viceroy took the opportunity to closely watch his kings features and expressions. Eredin was standing by the fire, in his less formal attire, his arms crossed behind his back, he was staring at the flames dancing around the logs in the huge ornamented fireplace. He looked severely troubled, there was definitely something more than the lost battle at Kaer Morhen that seemed to bother his mind and mess with his inner peace. He also seemed to have some serious injuries due to the recent feisty battle against Cirilla and her fellows. Apparently, he got more than only a couple of blows, but Ge'els was certain that his King would never admit it. He never did.

He made himself comfortable in his chair and cleared his throat loudly, but the sound didn't really reach Eredin. Nor did it encourage the King to speak like it was originally supposed to. A few quiet seconds, maybe even minutes have passed before Eredin finally turned around to face his Viceroy. His blank stare and seemingly waxy expression were odd, something one would never expect him to have. This was Ge'els' chance to finally ask the questions that burned in his mind since the Hunts return to Tir Na Lia and he was not going to miss it.

– Well... This seems to be exceptionally important, so maybe we should start somewhere... I am actually still hoping for getting at least two more hours of sleep before I will be at your service again... - He tried, not losing his usual sarcastic, yet still diplomatic and polite manner of speech. They have worked with each other for years already, even in the time of Auberon's reign, so the Viceroy had the privilege to speak almost freely in Eredin's presence. Almost.

– Forget it... You are here to get further orders before I leave for the North in the morning- Eredin's reply was harsh, like it always was. Ge'els got used to that long ago. Nothing unusual so far...

– Alright then, I will listen, as always. There are however questions I need to ask... Especially about our guest... The harridan located in my guest chambers clearly is NOT Cirilla. She is clearly something even more abominable, judging by her atrocious attitude. And being guarded, wearing dimetrium bracelets and living with the door locked doesn't make the lady a guest, at least not entirely... - He tested the waters.

– Bravo, brilliant deduction skills- Eredin cut him off. - I believe your little ferret Nithral gave you my clear orders as to her treatment so far... - That one was harsher. The king was losing it already? This was going to be interesting. Ge'els loved when people lost control over their emotions in his presence...It gives knowledge...and knowledge means power and intrigues.

– Oh, that he did. And that was just after he dropped her off and unceremoniously ordered my staff to care for the prisoner. But, you see, I spoke to the woman just yesterday... - There, he saw it... a little shift in Eredin's waxy expression... - I promised her she will soon find out about her reason to be in this utterly unfortunate situation... I can only hope that I can actually keep my promise. And to be honest, I am thrilled to hear about it too- Ge'els wasn't about to let his old friend get him off track.

– Thus, you will... But it is a long story. Now you will...

– Pardon me- Ge'els cut his superior off- Let us talk, you and I, right now...I refuse to follow orders blindly, I am not one of your Ruadhri... Clearly something happened in Kaer Morhen, something more than a seemingly lost fight. I have heard something about the matter, but it is you I wish to hear about it from, my friend. How could this antisocial little abomination take our men down?...As I am told, she seems to have battle experience as a sorceress, your riders still are not over it. Were you impressed too, Eredin? Is this why you had to bring her to Tir na Lia? - Ge'els was too tired and too annoyed for any form of politeness and diplomacy now.

– I am a SOLDIER in the first place- Eredin started, seemingly absent-mindedly now, not letting the Viceroy provoke him - I would be stupid and incredibly coy if I ignored her obvious abilities. I know a skilled battle mage when I see one and I can respect them on the battlefield, but this is not the matter here- he waved his hand dismissively and turned his back on Ge'els- I...have a reason to believe her to be of value for myself... I am certain it was no foolish coincidence to clash with her in this unfortunate battle and it might be linked to her powers...But first I will speak to one of the Knowing before I lay out the details to you... or anyone else.

Then, Eredin finally sat down and began to tell his Viceroy about his actions in the Witchers nest. While he led his Riders, he could not shake off the feeling of already having fought this little pathetic war...He could experience the sensation of a subliminal malaise, he felt that something was off, like he was in a haze. He sensed the magical energy typical for Cirilla, he could almost smell the waning energy of other sorcerers and mercenaries. And then, suddenly, there was this exotic, ancient, basic and raw energy he could almost taste...Her force. He never knew what spell exactly hit him, for Hadriana took him by surprise. The blow was hard and hot, it sent an angry Shockwave down his spine. It took all his rest power to defend himself and then she came closer to him...to her failure. She tried to focus his attention on herself and help the Swallow escape, so she fought him as long as she could and even managed to cause more than only a scratch to his flank. Eredin remembered knocking her off her feet finally and almost getting to Ciri, but then he and the rest of his unit had to retreat because the unrelenting force of Cirilla's magic. He has never seen the Swallow use that kind of a spell... It seemed to burst and destroy everything in its reach. All he could think of at this moment was grabbing the furious mage by her hair and taking her with him. His memories of the struggle in the stronghold were a blur,a foggy dream, but there was something that he felt in her presence that was different, yet somehow familiar to him. Now it was clear to him, that her presence felt very much like the one in his vivid visions at almost every night now, but this was something he would not speak of with his Viceroy. His memories of the battle were vague...He was a strategist, a general...he should have remembered the opposite force's numbers, positions, weapons or units...Instead, he has only been thinking about sounds, smells, colors and details like the crisp, cool air, a tiny bit of snowfall, the screams and calls of the battle...And the lightheadedness after Hadriana's first spell have hit his body.

Ge'els was listening carefully, seemingly weighing every word, carefully watching his friends facial expressions, trying to make a sense of everything he has heard so far.  
\- You felt like knowing what is going to occur in this little war? And you think that the halfbreed could possibly have something to do with it? - he was really curious now. The Viceroy has always been fascinated by magic, especially ancient sorcery. Was this really he case here?

\- Possible. As I said...Meeting her is not a coincidence...Nor is experiencing her magic...It feels much like Cirillas- Eredin lied...maybe not entirely, but he was definitely hiding some important facts, Ge'els could smell things like that. But if that was the case, she could be a mortal danger, especially because she seemed to be hot-headed and quite hostile so far. „This is getting interesting" he thought.

– So what do you intend to do now? Will Cirilla try to come for her?- he asked.

– She will never dare...If she does, you will be prepared...We will be. You are going to watch her closely, but take a good care of her, she is an entirely different kind of a hostage, I will need to gain her trust...As will you. She is not to be a slave, this is an order - Eredin said, getting seemingly uncomfortable.

– As you wish. Do you leave alone tomorrow? Is it about the reports about the progressing of the frost in the north? - He offered, trying to see if the bait was going to actually work. Eredin seemed to have welcomed the change of subject.

\- Indeed. I will be back the day after tomorrow. You may now take your leave. - The king replied, not even seeking eye contact with the Viceroy.

„Liar...he did it again. Well, this IS going to be interesting". Ge'els left his king after a short farewell.

After the Viceroy left, Eredin opened the balcony door and stepped out to catch some fresh air and to cool down after this encounter. He would never have thought that a simple conversation with Ge'els could get so incredibly tiring. The air inside his chambers quickly got thick and almost unbearable to breathe in. He has not told his friend everything, he just couldn't. His own thoughts and feelings at the very moment were an utter mess. He was always practical, pragmatic and absolutely cool minded, knew exactly what he wanted and he usually got it...and he got it fast. There were never feelings involved, no hesitation, no room for discussions about moral or simple decency...He did what had to be done, for the greater good, for Tir Na Lia, for Aen Elle. It was always about the duty and honor, never about himself. He may have betrayed Auberon, but he did so because his folk needed to be saved from The White Frost, the Unicorns and everything else. He never meant to take his life, this was an accident, a simple overdose of a potion. Did he regret Auberon's death? Yes and no. Yes, because he never meant to murder his King and ally, it was not a part of the plan. Auberon has put much trust in him, made him what he was now. All he wanted, was to aid him and lead him, to prove himself as a loyal general, because Auberon apparently needed to be added. No, because Auberon was already a shadow of what he has once been, he was not able to rule adequately anymore. The powerful, apodictic authority he once had was long gone, he was now a hopeless soul, he was not even able to produce a child without using a potion...A potion that finally led to his death. A very tragic, embarrassing death of a king once so wholeheartedly admired by his folk. Aen Elle deserved more than a sick, weak and old wreck of a man on the throne.

Eredin Breacc Glas, always so practical and cool minded, had now to deal with an undeniable pull towards a halfbreed woman, who did her very fucking best to lead him to his demise. Of course, he kept this fact to himself. He was furious at her, but he couldn't blame her for defending her allies and herself, for her open hostility towards him. It was exactly the same with himself. But was it anger or disappointment? She didn't show anything but pure loathe towards him, he knew she would have killed him within a second if she could. Did he actually expect her to be willing to come with him? She was attractive, there was no point in denying it. But it was the fact she made him FEEL something he couldn't yet name in her presence that made him seething with anger...He was concerned and... Insecure. He didn't like it one bit. He was certain, that she was the one he has been seeing so often at night. But why? Was magic involved? Or was it simply because he has been denying himself feelings and warmth for almost his entire life?

Having a last look at the river Easnadh, beautifully lit by the moonlight, he went back inside and started to prepare for his departure in the morning. He knew by now that his journey to Tilath na Viell was just a pathetic excuse from facing Hadriana, he simply tried to prolong the time without having to deal with the woman. He needed to busy his mind with something else for a short while, maybe the dreams would cease to appear for a while. Maybe after that trip he would be ready to speak with her...And maybe then he would be able to resist the persistent urge of touching and kissing her face that he felt since he first saw her.


	7. Chapter 7

7.1

Eredin's risky, neck breaking, absolutely mad and very lonely ride to the North was not as helpful as he hoped it would be. The mage was still on his mind, haunting his every thought since he met her on the battlefield. He should concentrate on finding Cirilla, on trying to find a solution to the threat the White Frost was bringing. He was still absolutely dedicated to their cause, but the mage added to his fatigue immensely. She seemed to be just like the Frost... An __Invaerne__ , with such a pale skin. Furious, hateful and cold, but at the same time fierce and fiery, when it came to destroying, fighting and willing to kill. The loathing she attacked him in the Old Sea keep with was remarkable. A true __Loathen__ _._ Just like in his nightly hauntings. He knew her name from Ge'els, but he thought of her as _Loathen_ , for the way she acted.

Eredin knew he should distract himself with something useful and productive for his people while Ciri was hiding again, that is why he rode to Tilath na Viell, to see the progress of the Frost destroying his world. But his visions and that woman were a case of Destiny, there was no denying it in that matter. Like every Aen Elle, he believed in __Caerme__ and its influence on one's life. However, if he could change his or his folk's Destiny, he would go to hell and back to make it happen.  
Frosty raindrops smacked his skin again, despite the skeleton mask he wore, but he felt nothing of it. The furiously fast ride didn't bring him the joy and distraction he hoped it would. Instead, he felt guilty for leaving so abruptly and started to miss something he couldn't define or name. He knew that he had to move her to the royal palace once he returned to the Capital. She was his personal matter, something that his Viceroy shouldn't know too much about. There were only two beings able to clear this situation...Himself and the little beannshie. _ _A d'yaebl aep arse__...With that thought he noticed his destination rising in the distance. Finally, he reached Tilath na Viell.

Getting up from her soft mattress resembled rising from the dead in the last couple of mornings. She was awake for some time now, but moving from the bed and dressing seemed almost impossible for Hadriana at the moment. It was still very early and she hoped to get a little bit of the fresh, nightly air for her lungs, but she felt tired and weak, so standing or walking seemed to be quite a challenge now. She couldn't eat properly, for she felt a nasty, constant nausea. Her limbs felt weak, she had a terrible headache from too much sleep and yet she was still tired. When will this nightmare end? She was still kept in her nicely furnished prison, the only visitor she had was Fiona, the Viceroy's maid. Because of her dimetrium cuffs and her battle injuries, dealt mostly by the King himself, she felt simply sick. Her spirit was close to a breaking point. Still lying on her bed, she began to cry silently, like she has been doing at least once a day since her arrival in Tir Na Lia. Why did they loathe her so much? What exactly did they want? Hadriana had many enemies and only a few friends. Many wanted her death, some of them because of her mixed origins, some because of her being a sorceress, others because of her political opinions or her gender. Right now, she wasn't sure what the reason for her situation was. She was not only angry, but also scared and insecure. She was scared to answer their questions, because she simply didn't know what was right and what was wrong in this foreign world. She tried to distract herself with different thoughts, not wanting to prevail in her current misery, so she started to concentrate on replaying her dream from the previous night in her mind.

 _ _Silently lying in his arms, like many nights before, she tried to fall asleep. It was something that was way easier for her when she was with him. He made every night something special for her, she enjoyed his closeness and the feeling of security and solace she had every time he was in the near. She wanted to keep that forever, but she somehow felt she won't. She turned her head up, to look at his stern, but beautiful face.__

 __ _ _-Do you have to leave? Can't it wait ?- She asked him with a sleepy but hopeful voice.__

 __ _ _-I do, but it won't take long. It will be exceptionally cold in the North for this time of year. The Frost must be controlled. I will be back very soon, you won't even notice my absence- he promised her. There was a tender touch to his normally cold and calculated tone.__

 __ _ _-Promise me you will come back in one piece, as soon as you possibly can. Do it if you really feel something for me - she pleaded.__

 __ _ _-I thought you never believed my sincere feelings for you...Is it concern for my well being I can sense in you now? What the hell, love? - He jested. He knew she could never, truly, fully let her guards down in his presence and it pained him, but he concealed it well.__

 __ _ _-It doesn't mean I don't care- She replied. She never truly hated him, on the contrary. She was just scared of her own feelings and her lack of trust in him.__

 __ _ _-I swear I will come back to you, always, Luned. Dubhenn haern am glandeal morc'h am fhean aiesin. As long as you stay with me- He replied with a sincere warmth in his voice. She has never heard him speak like this before.__

 __ _ _Dubhenn haern am glandeal morc'h am fhean aiesin...__ „My flash will pierce the darkness, my brightness will dissipate the gloom". What does this mean? Why did he tell her this in her dream? She rarely remembered words or detailed images in her dreams, but these words appeared to have an extraordinary meaning. Was this a promise? Did he actually intend to bear the burden of life with her? Was he the one to make everything better? Strange as it was, this thought, felt pleasant to her, she could feel an imaginary weight falling off her shoulders. Whatever her visions meant, this promised something she longed for all her life. She felt it with such intensity that it scared her in some way, but she was determined to find out about the mysterious lover in her head. Hopefully there was her Destiny or a curse involved, not an approaching madness or a mental breakdown.

To prevent such a thing, it was now time to get back to her normal, dissocial, arrogant and cheeky self. It was hard to rise from her bed and get washed and dressed, but she wouldn't be herself if she never tried. With all her strength she got up, fighting a massive, pounding headache and a wave of nausea. She managed to walk to the window and when she tried to open it to get some cool and fresh air, she found it locked. So she was a prisoner after all... She felt sudden anger rising inside her and a barely noticeable flash of energy. Was this it? Her new life? Without even getting to breathe properly? Without thinking much, she grabbed a candelabra standing on her bedside table and used all her pathetic strength to smash the thin glass. Within a second there were sharp shards everywhere and a moderate amount of blood that came from a wide wound in her upper arm, that she just got herself. With a hiss and a curse worthy of a dirty dock worker, she grabbed a linen shirt lying on her bed and tried to stop the bleeding. Within seconds there were two guards and a very concerned looking Fiona in her chamber, appearing like she had some serious trouble with breathing.

\- What is the meaning of this?! - She yelled, clearly not used to this kind of situations. Hadriana slowly breathed in and out before she spoke to the furious woman.

\- I needed some fresh air. It got incredibly thick inside - She stated simply, managing to smile cheekily.

\- And that is why you had to smash a window? Couldn't you just call for me? - Fiona's voice got higher.

\- I was incredibly disappointed to find it locked and you were nowhere in the near. You apparently choose to let me rot in here forever... I didn't like it one bit. Now that I have your attention, could you please help me out with dressing? - She said with all the class she could muster. The servant's face grew red, she was seething with anger.

\- That she will- Came an amused voice from the door. Hadriana took a look in this direction and saw a very amused looking Ge'els standing in the doorframe – Apparently you have enough energy to damage objects in my home, so I assume you will have enough strength to dine with me downstairs- He added.

Hadriana could only smile sweetly and nod. She looked quite pleased with herself. Still furious looking Fiona started to clean up the mess the mage caused, the guards were sent away by the Viceroy himself. Apparently, he was not as easy to provoke as his servant.

\- For your information, His Highness just returned from his journey to Tilath na Viell. He will be joining us tonight, so make sure you look presentable...And behave nicely - He added, not really believing she would be actually polite to her captor. Apparently, he wanted Eredin to taste his own medicine and deal with the abominable woman on his own.

 _So the bastard was here._... Finally. This was her chance to learn about his motives to keep her in this dreadful, cold city like a prisoner. Maybe he would let her go if he realized that she had no true value for him. But what if he insisted on her being in Tir na Lia? Then she will have to think of something big enough for him to change his mind.

Despite her anger, Fiona chose a stunning set of clothing for the mage. Hadriana put on a deep blue tunic with silvery embroidery, which has a very deep neckline and a light coat made of the same material. Fiona wanted to take care of her hair, but Hadriana strictly refused it and made a simple knot at the case of her long neck, not wanting to look presentable for someone, who she tried to kill and failed. Not caring about her hair or face, she let Fiona lead her to the dining room. She was not in the mood for showing any respect... To anyone.

The Viceroy was already there, but there was no sign of Eredin yet. She wondered how his face really looked like, how he behaved outside his unit, without having his generals around him, without being ready for war. She never saw his face, for he always wore his skull mask in her presence. She could tell his voice was also modulated somehow, making him sound atrocious and demonic. This was probably his exact intention. Was he less intimidating without having his skeletal armor on?

They waited for the King before they started eating, so she busied herself with admiring the large fireplace in the dining room. She had still some trouble with standing and walking, she still felt dizzy and weak, but after her actions in her chambers, she felt more awake. She wanted to stand straight and proud while facing her tormentor.

After a couple of long minutes, Eredin's arrival was announced by an elf guarding the entrance to the dining hall. Hadriana turned around to have a look at him and when she saw the elf, her heart stopped for a while. He has been just as intimidating as when she first saw him, even without wearing an armor. Her fucking captor, tormentor and a potentially mortal enemy was actually fucking beautiful. Long, silky black hair was secured with a silver band just at the base of his strong neck. His emerald, bright eyes were piercing their way into her very soul, his gaze so intense, that she had trouble withstanding it. His pale skin was just as pale as her own, but he lacked glow, he looked tired, yet still stern and masculine. She has never seen a man that tall before, except for his Generals. Aen Elle were apparently much taller that Aen Seidhe. He was impressive... And he was moving just in her direction, getting much too close to her.

-Forgive me my tardiness- he stated, speaking apparently only to her- I had to change in more comfortable attire. I believe an armor will not be needed in your presence right now, or will it? - He mocked her. What is this fuckery?

\- I hope it won't be needed- she replied, controlling her nerves as best as she could. He smiled at her, baring his unnaturally even teeth, typical for Elves.

\- I am glad to be in the Capital again. It was exceptionally cold in the North for this time of year. The Frost needs to get under control- He said, turning to Ge'ls, whom he ignored as he entered.

 _ _It was exceptionally cold in the North for this time of year...The Frost needs to get under control..__ These sentences and the sound of his real, unchanged voice instantly sent a cold shiver down her spine. Her knees got soft and her head began to spin. She looked at him again with wide eyes, now shocked to her core. She has heard these exact words, once... Spoken with this exact voice. In her recent dream. This couldn't be true... He was NOT the man she envisioned so many times for months...She never knew of his existence when it all started, __bloede pest!__ This was her last thought before she fell unconsciously to the floor.


End file.
